Brooklyn Nets 2013-14 Team Review

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

In their second season in Brooklyn, the Nets were able to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season despite a really difficult start to the season that saw a learning curve for Head Coach Jason Kidd, and a lot of injuries, which included losing Center Brook Lopez for the season. The turning point for the Nets was their first game of the 2014 calendar year on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Going against one of the best teams in the NBA, the Nets were able to get a huge victory thanks to Joe Johnson, who showed off his clutch gene hitting a buzzer-beater that turned the season around.

After the huge win against the Thunder, Brooklyn would have a fantastic month of January, going (10-3). As 2014 went on the Nets would emerge as one of the best teams defending their home-court, with a 15-game home winning streak. Jason Kidd did a very good job hanging in tough after the poor start, and making adjustments, no one more important than him deciding to go with a small lineup. In his final season with the New York Knicks, Jason Kidd was mostly on the court with another Point Guard, and in the Nets turn around he implemented that with his team moving Shaun Livingston into the starting lineup with Deron Williams. The lineup not only helped the Nets on the offense end by having Paul Pierce as a Power Forward causing lots of mismatches, but on the defensive end it turned the Nets into a position-less defense similar to what the Miami Heat do with players being able to constantly switch and rotate quickly. Overall it was a successful regular season for the Nets, finishing with a (44-38) record.

Some careful positioning and rest late in the season the Nets finished in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, which set them up with a first round match-up against the Toronto Raptors, who won the Atlantic Division. Brooklyn seemed to want no part of facing the Chicago Bulls for the second straight postseason, but the young Raptors pushed the veteran Nets to a fantastic seven game series. The Nets would come out on top of the Raptors with victories in both games 6 and 7, with Game 7 being a great one, as the Nets squeaked out a 104-103 win in Toronto to advance and face the defending champs.

In the second round of the playoffs the Nets had the daunting task of trying to knock off the LeBron James and the Heat. The Nets were behind the eight-ball to begin the series, as the Heat impressed at home, defeating the Nets by double-digits in the first two games. When the series shifted back to Brooklyn, the Nets would start to play much better, as they were able to win Game 3 before suffering close losses in Game 4 and 5. The Nets goal was to be title contenders, but even with Lopez that would have been unlikely as long as the Big 3 are together in Miami, but for the Nets the season has to be considered a good one as they were able to win their first playoff series since the move to Brooklyn, and they just unfortunately ran into the best player in the world, and a more talented Heat team.

Standout Star: Joe Johnson

Easily for the Nets in the regular season and the postseason their best and most consistent player was Joe Johnson in the 2013-14 season. Statistically in the regular season, Johnson was the best the Nets had, leading the team with 15.8 points per game on 45.4% shooting from the field, 40.1% from three point-range, and 81.5% from the free throw line. Johnson was under some scrutiny when he was selected to his seventh All-Star Team, but with the Nets doing well coming into the All-Star Break, Johnson being the Nets best player got the nod.

After the Lopez injury, Kidd needed to make changes losing arguably the Nets most talented half-court offensive player, especially in the post. With the loss of their best post player, Kidd would start to run the offensive through Johnson in the post, as being 6-7, 240 caused lots of mismatches, and often forced teams to bring double teams to Johnson, who then made excellent passes out to set up often wide open three-point attempts for teammates.

Johnson had a few special games in the regular season, with the before mentioned buzzer-beater in Oklahoma City, he also had another one earlier in the season against the Phoenix Suns, as Kevin Garnett gave him the nickname “Joe Jesus” due to his clutch gene. His highest scoring game of the season came against the awful Philadelphia 76ers, where he dropped 37 points, which included a 29-point third quarter, and a career-high 10 three-pointers made.

In the playoffs Johnson really shined stepping up his game, as the Nets proved to really need him to in order to win a series. He was able to average 21.2 PPG in the playoffs, with an improved shooting percentage across the board going 53.3% from the field, 41.5% from three-point range, and 83.7% from the free throw line. In what ended up being the Nets final game of the season in Game 5 against the Heat, Johnson came through with his best performance of the playoffs. In the 96-94 loss, Johnson scored 34 points, which was his most of the postseason on 15 for 23 shooting from the field, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Nets season alive.

Off-Season Needs:

The off-season for General Manager Billy King will not be an easy one, as with the trade last season for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, the Nets are strapped in the salary cap, and also have no picks in the 2014 draft. For the Nets they thought to have a two-year title window after the additions of Garnett and Pierce, but for the 2014 season there is no guarantees that either one will be back, as Pierce can leave via free agency, and although Garnett is under contract, he had a tough year and maybe thing retirement at the age of 38. There doesn’t appear to be any way to replace the production that even at their age Pierce and Garnett can give the Nets, as King will have no money or picks to bring in comparable replacements.

Pierce isn’t the only Net that maybe be testing free agency, as including Pierce there are six possible free agents for Brooklyn. Known for sure of the players that have player options, is that Andray Blatche has declined his and will be an unrestricted free agent this off-season. Blatche has said that he would like to come back to Brooklyn, and the Nets would like to have him back, but with him in the open market coming off a good season, averaging 11.2 points, and 5.3 rebounds in just 22 minutes per game the price may get to high for the Nets to bring him back. Another player with an option is Alan Anderson, who holds a player option, which he will be declining, worth just over one millions dollars for next season. Anderson was a pretty steady member of the rotation for the Nets, playing in 78 games with 26 starts. He averaged 7.2 PPG, while playing solid defense, and if the Nets could have him back he could figure to be in the rotation once again for Brooklyn. Andrei Kirilenko, who had a lot of injuries and a poor 2013-14 season by his measure has made the decision that he will be returning to the Nets with his option. Kirilenko will certainly be in the rotation in the coming season, but the Nets could really use him to play better than he did in his first season in Brooklyn.

A major concern for the Nets heading into free agency is that there is a very strong possibility that they will not be able to keep Livingston, who had a great bounce back season, and is now a free agent. Last season, Livingston played in a career-high 76 games, while averaging 8.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. In Kidd’s system, Livingston plays a major role in the two-point guard set on offense, and on defense his height and athleticism make him a perfect player to be able to switch on to multiple players.

Due to the Nets lack of financial flexibility, trades will certainly be in the mind of King, as in all likelihood Livingston will be gone, which has brought up some rumors of a possible Marcus Thornton for Jarrett Jack trade. Kidd likes to have two Point Guards on the court together at the same time in his offense, so in case of the loss of Livingston, Jack would be a good replacement for the rotation.

The possibility of trading Williams or Lopez are both viable ones for the Nets, as the often injured Lopez is making a lot of money, but should draw decent interest if made available. Williams has sort of said that he would like to be moved, but after a down year, ankle surgeries, and a max contract, the return for Williams wouldn’t be a very good one more than likely. in the event that either player is traded, it would likely be for cap relief, young players, or draft picks, as it would mean the waving of the white flag on the championship expectations.

King has made it very clear that he would like to get into the draft somehow or someway, and on draft night he was able to acquire three second-round picks all for cash considerations. The 44th pick was the first one the Nets were able to get, selecting Markel Brown from Oklahoma State. The final two picks of the draft would go to Brooklyn, as they selected with the 59th pick Xavier Thames from San Diego State, and with the 60th pick Cory Jefferson from Baylor. King said all along he would like to get into a deep and talented draft, so getting three second-round picks will add some much needed depth and youth to the Nets bench.

Recently their has been some turmoil in the Nets Front Office, with news emerging that Jason Kidd has made a power move to try and gain more control than King when it comes to personnel decision making. The Nets have quickly shot this play by Kidd down, and now an offer from the Milwaukee Bucks has been accepted. the deal will be for two second-round draft picks. 

2014-15 Season Outlook:

In the upcoming season there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Nets right now with the recent mess in the Front Office/Coaching departments, but their best case scenario if Williams and Lopez are healthy, with Pierce and Garnett back would be them in the middle of the Eastern Conference, with them challenging for the Atlantic Division title, and maybe another playoff series win or two. A lot can also go wrong for the Nets in the off-season if they lose some players because they don’t have the cap or draft picks to bring in adequate replacements. Health is a major concern as well for the Nets will two starters coming off surgeries, and the fact that they are an older team to begin with, which can be a recipe for disaster.

Moving forward for the Nets though in the coming seasons will be mostly disappointment, as the title aspirations they had after the big trade with Boston were unrealistic to begin with, and will cost them down the road with basically no first-round draft picks, and a lot of money invested in players that simply aren’t playing up to it. King will have his work cut out for him, and some extremely difficult calls to make about what the team is really capable of as constructed, which would be an admitted failure by King. The departure of Kidd will mean the Nets will be once again looking to bring in a new Head Coach, and King,who is still running the show will have some good options to replace Kidd for 2014-15 season.

Read More

Andray Blatche Decides To Test Free Agency

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 15^th, 2014

One day after the Brooklyn Nets were eliminated their off-season started, and it started with Andray Blatche announcing that as expected he will be opting out of his contract, as he declined his 1.4 million dollar player option for next season.

Blatche said coming back to the Nets is his “Number 1 Priority” when asked if he wants to come back.

elsa/getty images

“Yeah, definitely. I feel like we have a strong team here,” he said. “We have a good core. Everybody gets along, Everybody holds one another accountable. I can still learn from some of the players here. But at the same time it’s a business. So if I’m not here I appreciate everything this organization has done for me.”

“I’m going to see what’s out there for me,” Blatche said Thursday. “I would love to stay here. They gave me my first opportunity. So if things work out, hopefully I’ll be back here. If not, I just want to thank the fans and the whole organization for giving me that second chance.”

Andray Blatche made it clear that he would like to be back, and after coming off a nice season the Nets would certainly like him back as well. The Nets do have Blatche's early bird rights, which means the most that they can offer him is a four-year 25 million dollar deal. His former team the Washington Wizards are on the hook for 8.4 million dollars next season, so Blatche will be making a nice paycheck regardless next season.

In the 2013-2014 season Blatche had very good numbers, as in 73 games he averaged 11.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and shot a very good 47% from the field. Blatche will certainly have suitors, and Nets General Manager Billy King will be a bust man with five other pending free agents in Paul Pierce, Shaun Livingston, Andrei Kirilenko, Alan Anderson, and Jason Collins.

Read More

Nets Hand Heat First Loss of Playoffs

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 10th, 2014

Miami Heat vs. Brooklyn Nets Game 3 Recap

Final Score: Heat 90 Nets 104

In a must win Game 3 at home for the Brooklyn Nets, they were able to avoid the certain series loss if they fell in Game 3 to the Miami Heat. The victory keeps hope alive for the Nets, as they were able to control the defending champs for most of the game with a barrage of three-pointers.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

As it has been so many times for the Nets in the postseason thus far, it was Joe Johnson who was the Nets best player. In a well balanced scoring attack for the Nets, Johnson led the team with 19 points on seven for 10 shooting, which included five three-pointers made. Johnson continued to do a good job recognizing when to make the pass, as he had six assists.

Positives:

Brooklyn’s bench played a big factor in the Nets victory, as Mirza Teletovic and Andray Blatche were both in double figures off of the bench. Teletovic was one of the main guys in the Nets three-point barrage, as all of his shot were from behind the arc. He went four for seven from deep for 12 points to go along with six rebounds in 19 minutes. Blatche was a monster for the Nets, as he was able to notch a double-double in just 20 minutes. Blatche finished with 15 points on five for 10 shooting with 10 rebounds in what was his best game by far of the series.

The combination of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were both able to have nice efficient, effective games for the Nets in their supporting roles on Saturday. They were both in double figures, as Pierce finished with 14 points on five for 10 shooting, and Garnett was able to add 10 points on five for six shooting.

nydailynews.com

On defense the Nets did a much better job stopping Ray Allen, who scored 19 points in Game 1 and then 13 points in Game 2. Game 3 however Allen scored just nine points on two for six shooting and missed his only three-point attempt. Alan Anderson and Allen got into a little skirmish in the second half that resulted in double technicals for both players.

Chris Bosh was also held in check by the Nets, as Miami’s third weapon had a quiet Game 3. Bosh finished with just 12 points on five for 11 shooting with just five rebounds, as it was the worst game of the series so far for Bosh, and the Heat clearly missed his production.

Negatives:

Trying to stop the great duo of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James is going to be a difficult task, but with the their supporting cast have bad games for the most part, the Nets were able to survive good games from Wade and James. Wade finished with 20 points on nine for 18 shooting. James scored 16 points in the first quarter, as it looked early like it was going to be a special game from James. He finished with 28 points on eight for 15 shooting to go along with eight rebounds and five assists.

Next up for the Nets will be Game 4 in Brooklyn on Monday, as Brooklyn will look to even up the series.

Read More

Nets Narrowly Defeat Raptors in Game 7

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 4^th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors Game 7 Recap

Final Score: Nets 104 Raptors 103

In a win or go home Game 7 in a hostile arena in Toronto, the Brooklyn Nets were able to survive the young Raptors for a thrilling Game 7 victory on Sunday. A few missed free throws at the end of the game for the Nets nearly cost them, but a block by Paul Pierce on Kyle Lowry sealed the deal for the Nets, as the advanced to the next round.

nydailynews.com

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Easily the best player for the Nets throughout the entire series was Joe Johnson, and Game 7 was no different. Johnson finished with a team-high 26 points on 11 for 25 shooting, with four rebounds, and four assists. The Raptors threw the kitchen sink at Johnson with multiple defenders guarding him and frequent double-teams, but Johnson made the right pass out almost every time, as he could have a lot of hockey assists.

Positives:

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were in different roles in this Game 7 than previous seasons. They both only played 25 minutes, but it was an effective one from both of them. Pierce finished with 10 points on four for 10 shooting, but made the play of the game for the Nets blocking Lowry's shot in the final seconds. Garnett had a very good game, as he was able to notch a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, as it was his first double-double since February 1^st.

Brooklyn's bench showed up for Game 7 after a mostly disappointing series against the Raptors, as Andray Blatche, Shaun Livingston, and Marcus Thornton all had good games. Blatche, who was in a bit of foul trouble still played well with nine points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes. Livingston in his second straight game coming off the bench was a much bigger factor in the game than he was on Friday night, as Livingston scored 10 points on four for five shooting, and hit two extremely clutch free throws down the stretch. For the first time in the series, Thornton was able to get hot from the field, as he finished with 17 points on four for eight shooting, and went five for six from the free throw line in his best game of the series.

Negatives:

Toronto really pushed the Nets in this series, and could have easily won it in large part due to their back court of Lowry and DeRozan, who played well in Game 7. Lowry finished with a game-high 28 points on seven for 19 shooting, and went an outstanding 12 for 14 from the line in addition to grabbing seven boards. DeRozan didn’t have a monster Game 7, but still played very well scoring 18 points on five for 12 shooting with six assists, and seven free throws, as DeRozan and Lowry lived at the free throw line in the series.

The Power Forwards for the Raptors also stepped up in Game 7, as Amir Johnson and Patrick Patterson both put together nice games. Johnson was a beast despite looking a bit hobbled, as he scored 20 points on nine for 12 shooting with 10 rebounds before he fouled out. Patterson was great off the bench most of the series, and in Game 7 he finished with 16 points and eight rebounds on a perfect day shooting from the field.

Nets Point Guard Deron Williams had a tough Game 7, and nearly cost his team the victory down the stretch, as he struggled from the foul line. Williams finished just 13 points and four assists, as yet again it was a disappointing game from him.

Next up for the Nets will be a series against the two-time defending champs in the Miami Heat, who will be well rested before Tuesday's Game 1 in Miami.  

Read More

Nets Offense Disappears in Game 4 Loss

nj.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 27th, 2014

Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets Game 4 Recap

Final Score: Raptors 87 Nets 79

In a must win Game 4 for the young Toronto Raptors on the road, they were able to rise to the challenge and win their first playoff game on the road since 2001. The loss for the Nets evens the series up at two games a piece, and the home-court advantage switches back into the Raptors favor.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

In the Game 4 loss for Brooklyn they did receive a strong performance from Paul Pierce, who led the team in scoring. In the low scoring game on Sunday night, Pierce was able to drop 22 points on a great nine of 14 shooting from the field. Pierce added five rebounds and two assists to his final line, but was one of the few Nets to have a good game in the disappointing home loss.

Positives:

Besides Pierce the only other Nets player to turn in a good game was Mirza Teletovic, who had a strong game off the bench. Teletovic was second on the team in scoring with 12 points on five for nine shooting, shockingly none of which came from beyond the arc. Teletovic also added five rebounds, three of which were on the offensive end in a good 17 minutes of play.

Raptors Center Jonas Valanciunas has been a double-double machine in this season, but in Game 4, he was held to his worst game of the series, but noticeably only played 23 minutes. Valanciunas only had six points and six rebounds, far below what he has been doing to the Nets for the series in the first three games.

Negatives:

It was a tough night for most Nets on the offensive end starting with Deron Williams, who had a bad game in the loss. Williams finished with just 10 points on four for 12 shooting, as he went zero for five from beyond the arc, and turned the ball over five times. In his match-up against Kyle Lowry, Williams lost in Game 4 badly, as Lowry scored 22 points.

Joe Johnson also had a tough time getting going on Sunday, as the Raptors threw lots of double-teams at Johnson, which forced the ball out of his hands. Johnson finished with just seven points on two for seven shooting, in what was easily his worst game of the series thus far.

Amir Johnson had his second good game in the series, as he is emerging as an x-factor for the Raptors, as in both games he has scored in double-digits they have won. Johnson finished with 17 points on seven for 11 shooting with five rebounds. Johnson did hurt his knee which will certainly be something to keep an eye on before Game 5. DeMar DeRozan started off hot like the Raptors in Game 4, although he did struggle in the second half after starting the game seven of 10 from the field, but he still finished with a game-high 24 points

Excluding Teletovic, Brooklyn’s bench had a poor night scoring the basketball, as Andray Blatche and Alan Anderson combined to go a dreadful two for 11 from the field. Off the bench for the Raptors it was yet again another good game from Patrick Patterson, who early had a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.

The experienced Nets missed a golden opportunity to take a 3-1 lead at home on Sunday, as the turnovers really piled up for Brooklyn. The turnover battle has been an advantage for the Nets in the first three games, but in Game 4 the Raptors only turned it over 10 times compared to the Nets 16, which was certainly a difference in Game 4.

Next up will be a few days of rest before a huge Game 5 with the series tied on Wednesday night in Toronto.

Read More

Series Preview: Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

Eastern Conference Playoffs

Series Preview: Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors

The Brooklyn Nets will be heading into the playoffs for the second consecutive season, as after a strong inaugural season in Brooklyn, the Nets loss a tough series to the Chicago Bulls. This postseason they will be looking for their first playoff series win as the Brooklyn Nets against the team they were chasing the whole season in the Atlantic Division, the Toronto Raptors.

Match-Up of the Series: Deron Williams vs. Kyle Lowry

In what has been a great season for the Toronto Raptors, one of the major contributors to that has been Kyle Lowry, who has had an All-Star worthy season. Lowry is one of the more complete all-around Point Guards in the NBA, as this season he is averaging 17.9 points, 7.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. Against the Nets this season Lowry has been very efficient and effective scoring in four games this season, as he is averaging 22 points on 50% shooting from the field. Deron Williams has certainly had a disappointing season for the Nets, as he is averaging just 14.3 points and 6.1 assists per game, but if the Nets are going to do anything in the playoffs they need Williams to step it up and that has to start against Lowry.

nba.com

- Debut for DeMar

Raptors Shooting Guard DeMar DeRozan is having a season of firsts, as in February he made his first All-Star team, and now after a bunch of losing season will be making his playoff debut after playing the best basketball of his career so far. Nationally, DeRozan may not be a household name like some players, but this season DeRozan is averaging 22.7 points per game, which puts him in the Top 10 in scoring for the NBA this season. DeRozan will be given the chance to shine on the National stage in the postseason, and something big to watch and that could go a long way to deciding the series is whether he rises or falls to the biggest challenge of his NBA career.

- Youth vs. Experience

The experience differential is eye-pooping in the series between these two teams, as in total the Raptors roster has 156 games of playoff experience. In comparison Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have played in a combined 267 career playoff games. A major concern for the Raptors has to be that their playoff inexperience comes mostly from their starting lineup that has three starters that have never played in a playoff game. TThe two starters that have, Lowry and Amir Johnson have combined to play in 24 playoff games, but neither has started a playoff game.

- Center Dilemma

For most of the season size has bothered the Nets in large part due to the absence of Kevin Garnett, and Jason Kidd using a small lineup with Paul Pierce at the Power Forward position, and although the Nets avoided Joakim Noah and the Chicago Bulls, they will have to deal with Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas is playing very well in April, as he is averaging a double-double in eight games with 16.8 points and 11 rebounds per game. Against the Nets this season he has been solid averaging 10.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. A major question going into the playoff is what is the realistic expectation of what Garnett will be able to give the Nets? The amount of minutes Garnett will be playing is unknown and even if it is more than he has been since returning from the back spasms, there hasn’t been a whole of court time to see how effective he will be. If Garnett is ineffective or can’t play much, Kidd does have the luxury of going with Mason Plumlee and Andray Blatche off the bench.

Read More

Nets Lose to Cavs, Clinch 6th Seed in East

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 16th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 85 Cavaliers 114

nba.com

The Brooklyn Nets finished up their regular season with a blowout loss at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers. After a tough start to the season starting (10-21) they finished (44-38), which landed them the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, and a first round match-up with the Atlantic Division winning Toronto Raptors.

Player of the Game: Andray Blatche

Jason Kidd elected to rest his starting lineup leaving his bench players to play nearly the whole game with just a seven-man rotation. Andray Blatche in the extended time was able to snag a double-double in the blowout in 39 minutes of play. Blatche finished with 20 points on eight for 18 shooting to go along with a game-high 12 rebounds. It will be interesting to see how much Blatche will be playing in the playoffs with the emergence of Mason Plumlee and the return of Kevin Garnett.

Positives:

The biggest positive of the game for Brooklyn wasn’t anything that happened from a player on the court, but the way things worked out for them in the standings. The Nets loss and the Washington Wizards win the Nets got the sixth seed, and with the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls both losing, it sets up a first round match-up against the Raptors. The Nets didn’t seem to want any part of the Bulls, and for good reason, so now they get a much better match-up against the young inexperienced Raptors.

Negatives:

Brooklyn seems to be healthy going into the playoffs, but although they will be rested and ready, they are also not heading into the playoffs playing their best basketball, as they have lost four of their last five games, all to teams under .500. The Nets are a veteran group so being healthy is the most important, but it will be interesting to see if their poor play of late will carry into the first round.

Actually on the court for the Nets, they were totally dominated by the Cavaliers in almost every aspect of the game. Off the bench the Cavaliers got a big game from Tyler Zeller, who scored a game-high 22 points on nine for 11 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds. Zeller wasn’t the only big man on the team to have a double-double, as Tristan Thompson scored 11 points on five for nine shooting with 10 rebounds.

Dion Waiters came through with yet another good game against the Nets, as he scored 19 points on seven for 12 shooting. In four games this season Waiters has played well this season against Brooklyn, as he finished averaging 19 points per game on 45% shooting from the field.

Next up for the Nets will be Game 1 of their playoff series against the Raptors on Saturday at 1230.

Read More

W2W4: New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets April 15th, 2014

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 15^th, 2014

W2W4: New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets

Pre-Game News and Notes

myfoxny.com

The Brooklyn Nets will be hosting the New York Knicks in their final meeting of the season on Tuesday night in a game that looking at the schedule in the beginning of the season would have possibly been for the Atlantic Division, but with the Knicks out of the playoffs, it will be a game for in state bragging rights.

- Season Series

The Knicks have bested the Nets twice this season already including once in the Barclay's Center, as they are up 2-1 this season, and with the Nets heading into the playoffs they would like to also not lose the season series to the team that they share the city with. So far this season their hasn’t been one good game between them, as in the first meeting the Knicks won by 30, followed by a 23-point Nets win, and then most recently a 29-point Knicks win on April 2^nd. The Knicks missing the playoffs and having such a disappointing season is good for the Brooklyn brand, but losing the season series would hurt that.

- Woodson's Future

Knicks Head Coach Mike Woodson will most likely be coaching one of his last games with the Knicks on Tuesday, as after the extremely disappointing season and a new president in Phil Jackson, Woodson is as good as gone. With just two games left for the Knicks and being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs it will be interesting to see how Woodson decides to handle his rotation, as he may go with his normal veterans to try and get a victory or possibly give some young players more playing time against Brooklyn.

- Center Audition

With just two games to go for the Nets, Jason Kidd has some decisions to make regarding what will be a smaller rotation come playoff time, as Mason Plumlee has forced his way into the fold with his great play of late. The Center position will without a doubt have Kevin Garnett starting, but it will be interesting to see if Kidd will have faith in the rookie Plumlee or go with Andray Blatche, who has also had a very good season. The smaller lineups with Paul Pierce or Mirza Teletovic have worked so well all season, so going away from that seems silly, but if the Nets do match-up against the Bulls having some healthy size at the Center position will be very helpful if Kidd decides to go with a bigger lineup.

Read More

Nets Have Big Letdown in Orlando

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 9th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Orlando Magic Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 111 Magic 115

sbnation.com

The Brooklyn Nets coming off a great win against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night laid an egg on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic, losing 115-111. The loss moves the Nets to (43-35) on the season, which leaves them three games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division with four games to play, almost assuring that the Nets will be the fifth seed in the East.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Easily the best player for the Nets in their losing effort on Wednesday was Joe Johnson, who for the second straight game led the Nets in scoring. Johnson finished with a game-high 31 points on 11 for 19 shooting. Johnson also added five assists and four rebounds to go along with his big scoring night, but it wasn’t enough to help the Nets get the win with three rotation players sitting, as with a chance to tie the game he had his three-point attempt blocked by Kyle O’Quinn.

Positives:

In his second game back from the back spasms that cost him to miss 19 straight games, Kevin Garnett was very good in his 17 minutes of play. Garnett scored only five points on two for two shooting, but grabbed eight rebounds, and had six assists. A productive Garnett can be a huge weapon for the Nets come playoff time in what will be a difficult first round match-up.

After a huge game-winning block on LeBron James, Mason Plumlee was moved back to the bench with the return of Garnett, but Plumlee played extremely well coming in for Garnett. Plumlee finished with 16 points off the bench on seven for eight shooting to go along with five rebounds, but Plumlee did foul out in the fourth quarter.

Negatives:

Deron Williams really struggled on Wednesday coming off a poor game scoring against the Heat where he scored just eight points. Against Orlando, Williams scored 11 points on a horrendous three for 14 shooting day, which included going one for six from behind the three-point arc.

For the Magic off the bench a major factor in their second quarter domination was E’Twaun Moore. Moore scored 14 straight points in the second quarter, and finished with 17 points on a perfect six for six shooting day from the field, which included him going five for five from three-point range.

The Nets were far from 100% in this game, as Shaun Livingston was given the day off, Andray Blatche missed his second straight game with an illness, and Paul Pierce despite being five points shy of 25,000 sat out with a hip pointer.

Next up for the Nets will be a trip back to the Barclays Center where they have won 15 straight, and will look to make it 16 straight on Friday against the Hawks.

Read More

Nets Hold on to Victory in Philadelphia

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 5^th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs Philadelphia 76ers Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 105 76ers 101

The Brooklyn Nets were able to win the second half of a back to back against the horrible Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night, and with the win moved the Nets to (42-34) on the season. The victory keeps the Nets 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division with six games left on the schedule.

Player of the Game: Deron Williams

In the win on Saturday, it was Deron Williams who helped lead the Nets to the road victory against the woeful 76ers. Williams scored a team-high 19 points on six for 11 shooting with nine assists and four rebounds. Williams also tied a Nets franchise record, as he was able to swipe a steal in his 26^th consecutive game. In the fourth quarter with the lead falling apart, Williams had a big four-point play to help the Nets hold on to the win.

Positives:

On Saturday night the biggest positive for the Nets was the return of their Center Kevin Garnett, who had been out with back spasms for the previous 19 games. In his return, Garnett played very good against the 76ers, which was probably the best opponent for anyone to get rid of rust against. He finished with 10 points on five for six shooting with four rebounds, one steal, and one block in 13 minutes. With his 10 points, Garnett also passed Alex English for 14^th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Biggest thing for the Nets and Garnett moving forward will be how many minutes the medical staff thinks he can play for the rest of the regular season, and eventually the playoffs.

espn.go.com

Due to the return of Garnett, it moved Mason Plumlee back to the bench, but Plumlee still saw a good amount of court time, and played well in his new role. Plumlee finished with 16 points on eight for 10 shooting, to go along with seven rebounds in 23 minutes. The combination of Garnett and Plumlee makes the Nets Center situation look a lot better heading into the playoff then it did with just Plumlee as the starter.

Scoring wise the Nets were pretty well balanced with six players in double-digits, as besides Williams Garnett and Plumlee, Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson and Andray Blatche also had 10 or more points. Pierce finished with 11 points on five for 10 shooting in addition to his five rebounds and four assists. Johnson added 12 points on four for nine shooting, and Blatche scored 10 on four for eight shooting in just 11 minutes.

Negatives:

the second half wasn’t very good for Brooklyn after they heading into halftime with a 15-point lead, as the 76ers outscored them in the third quarter by three points, and the in the fourth by eight points. Jason Kidd decided to never bring Garnett, Pierce or Johnson back into the game, which was a questionable decision with the 76ers mounting a comeback, but Williams and the bench got it done to hold on to the win.

Read More

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs. New York Knicks; April 2nd, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, April 2^nd, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. New York Knicks

Pre-Game News and Notes

The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets will be facing off in a big game Wednesday night, as the Knick are fighting to get into the playoffs and the Nets are looking to move up in the standings. The Knicks are coming off their most successful west coast trip since 1999-2000 and will look to ride that momentum tonight against their cross-town rivals. For the Nets, they played last night and handled the Houston Rockets rather easily. Here are some things to look for tonight in the Battle of the Boroughs.

-Player News and Notes

The Knicks are staring at a big problem tonight, as Tim Hardaway Jr. is questionable with an ankle injury. Hardaway Jr. injured the ankle in the waning moments of the Knicks win Monday night over the Utah Jazz. If he is unable to go, Iman Shumpert will be in line for an increase in minutes and big role in the game plan. Amar’e Stoudemire should be back in the lineup for the Knicks tonight after sitting out Monday with a planned day of rest.

For the Nets, they will still be without Kevin Garnett. Garnett is not expected to make a return to the lineup until next week at the earliest. Andrei Kirilenko was not able to play last night for the Nets and his status is up in the air for the game tonight. Same goes for Marcus Thornton, who missed Tuesday’s game with back problems.

-Match-Up Of the Game: Carmelo Anthony vs. Paul Pierce

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

These two have matched up together since Anthony was traded to the Knicks from the Denver Nuggets and will continue to be the match-up to watch tonight as well. The Nets have begun using a smaller lineup with Garnett sidelined, with Pierce filling the role Anthony does with the Knicks in a smaller lineup. No matter what position they lineup at tonight, the two of them should be matched up together a majority of the night.

-Who Replaces Hardaway Jr.?

If Hardaway Jr. is unable to go tonight because of his ankle, the first player in line to take over his minutes will be Shumpert. Shumpert's struggles have been well documented this season, but the Knicks will need to him to look more like he did on the Texas Triangle trip tonight to overcome the Nets. Shumpert had a strong game offensively in the Knicks victory over the Nets this season, scoring 17 points, but struggled mightily in the loss to the Nets scoring only five points.

Where Shumpert will help the Knicks is the defensive end. Shumpert is far and away the better defender compared to Hardaway Jr., and that will be important tonight as the Knicks and Nets are both playing good basketball right now. Whichever team can get the timely stops will be able to come out ahead tonight.

-Front Court Battle

The Knicks will have a huge edge on the interior tonight and they must take advantage of it. Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler have combined to be quite a force on the inside recently for the Knicks, resulting in much better results in the win-loss column. Tonight they have to take advantage of the opportunities that will be given to them in Miles Plumlee and Andray Blatche.

With the Nets going small, the Knicks need to pound in the paint and attack the basket. The Nets do not have any rim protectors and should be able to make a living in the interior. If they are able to do that, it will open up the perimeter for players such as J.R. Smith and Anthony to knock down three pointers. 

Read More

Nets Clinch Playoff Berth Against Rockets

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 1st, 2014

Houston Rockets vs. Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Rockets 96 Nets 105

The Brooklyn Nets were able to pick up yet another win at the Barclay’s Center, as with the victory against the Rockets on Tuesday night the Nets have now won 14 straight games at home. The win moves the Nets to (40-33) on the season, which is 1.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division, and it also clinched the Nets a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

nba.com

In the win on Tuesday, the Nets got a huge performance from Joe Johnson, as he notched his fourth 30 point or more game this season. Johnson finished with a game-high 32 points on 13 for 21 shooting, which included him going four of eight from three-point range. In addition to the monster scoring game from Johnson, he was able to record four rebounds, three assists, and one steal to help him have the highest +/- of any player, with +17.

Positives:

Shaun Livingston put together a great game for Brooklyn, as normal he filled up the stat sheet, but on Tuesday he also broke out with big scoring game. Livingston finished only behind Johnson on the Nets in scoring with 17 points on six for 12 shooting. As expected Livingston did more than just have a good scoring game, as he had six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.

The bench for Brooklyn continued to be good in the win, as once again they were able to have two players in double figures. Andray Blatche led the Nets bench with 13 points on six for 12 shooting to go along with four rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Mirza Teletovic also played well off the bench, as he scored 10 points on four for seven shooting, with seven rebounds.

Negatives:

Even without one of the best Center’s in the NBA in Dwight Howard, the Rockets were able to do well on the glass against Brooklyn, as possibly the best backup Center in the NBA; Omer Asik had a big game on the glass. Asik finished with a double-double, as he scored 12 points on five for eight shooting, but most noticeably was the eye-popping 23 rebounds Asik had. The Rockets did win the rebound battle 44-42, which isn’t all bad for Brooklyn, but it is still a work in progress.

Next up for the Nets will be a trip to Madison Square Garden to face the rival New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony on Wednesday night.

Read More

Pierce Leads Nets to 13th Straight Home Win

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 31st, 2014

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Timberwolves 99 Nets 114

The Brooklyn Nets were once again able to win at the Barclays Center, as with their 114-99 victory over the Timberwolves they have made it 13 straight at the home. The win moves the Nets to (39-33), which is 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

For the second straight game Nets Forward Paul Pierce had a great game, and got off to a hot start once again. Pierce lit it up in the first quarter scoring 16 points, helping the Nets get off to a good start. Pierce finished with a game-high 22 points on eight for 11 shooting, which included him, going five of eight from three-point range. The only downside for Pierce in the game was that he got into foul trouble in third quarter.

philly.com

Positives:

In the third quarter when the Nets got into foul trouble, Joe Johnson stepped up to help the Nets weather the storm from the Timberwolves. Johnson scored eight points in the third without Deron Williams and Pierce on the court. Johnson finished with 19 points on eight for 13 shooting, and he also became the 15th active player to reach 17,000 career points.

Brooklyn on defense did an excellent job against one of the better players in the league in Kevin Love, who is averaging a double-double on the season, but on Sunday the Nets held him in check. Love finished with just 14 points on five for 14 shooting, and maybe more impressive for the Nets is that they were able to keep in under 10 rebounds, as he finished with nine. As a team the Nets out-rebounded the Timberwolves by one, and even had more offensive rebounds than them.

The second unit for Brooklyn was very good in the win on Sunday, as it got big games from Andray Blatche and Alan Anderson. Blatche finished with 14 points, which led all bench scorers on seven for 11 shooting with six rebounds. Anderson was right behind Blatche with 13 points on five for 10 shooting, and Anderson also added five rebounds.

Negatives:

In what was a good win for the Nets there were few negatives, but Brooklyn was sloppy with the ball, as they turned it over 20 times. The high turnover amount played into the Timberwolves style of play. Corey Brewer and Kevin Martin were able to take advantage of opportunities in the open court, as they both played well in the loss. They each finished with 21 points, as for Brewer he did it on nine for 13 shooting, and for Martin he shot nine for 16 from the field.

Next up for the Nets will be a big test at home on Tuesday night against the Houston Rockets.

Read More

Nets Win 12th Straight at Home

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 28th, 2014

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Cavaliers 97 Nets 108

philly.com

The Brooklyn Nets were able to return home to the Barclays Center after an extremely tough road-trip that the Nets had to play three overtime games. On Friday they were able to avoid a fourth straight overtime game, and extended their winning streak at home to 12 games with the victory against the Cavaliers. The win moves the Nets to (39-33) on the season, and keeps them 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division, as the Raptors defeated the Celtics on Friday as well.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce was the Nets best scorer on Friday in the win, as he only had to play 20 minutes, but had a huge impact on the game. In his limited time Pierce led all scorers with a game-high 22 points on five for six shooting from the three-point line, and going a perfect seven for seven from the free throw line. Pierce scored 17 of the 22 points in the first quarter, and all of Pierce’s points came in the first half. He also was able to extend his 100 three-pointers made in a season to 14 straight seasons a remarkable feat for Pierce.

Positives:

Brooklyn’s starting lineup did a pretty good job along with Pierce having a great game in the easy win. Joe Johnson was also very efficient shooting the basketball, as he went six of eight from the field, which included him going two for three from three-point range to extend his streak of a game with a three-pointer made to 20 straight, in route to him scoring 14 points. Deron Williams played well too, as in 26 minutes he scored 13 points on five for 10 shooting to go along with five assists, two rebounds, and two steals.

Shaun Livingston was the do it all guy for Brooklyn on Friday, as he led the team with 34 minutes and also had the highest +/- of any player going +28. Livingston finished with just eight points, but was efficient going four for five from the field, and like in a lot of games this season it was more than just scoring for Livingston. Along with the eight points, Livingston added eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals.

In the battle of the bench’s, Brooklyn had the advantage going into the game, and it showed on the court. The Cavaliers bench only combined for 18 points compared to the 48 points for the Nets. Alan Anderson was the leading scorer for the Nets off the bench, as he scored 13 points on six for 10 shooting. Andray Blatche was also in double figures, as he scored 10 points on four for five shooting.

On the road-trip the Nets really struggle to defend opposing team’s frontcourts and rebound, but on Friday the Nets did a much better on the glass, as they out-rebounded the Cavaliers 41-35. Mirza Teletovic was the Nets best player on the glass, as he grabbed 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. Mason Plumlee also did pretty well rebounding, grabbing seven in 20 minutes.

Next up for the Nets will be a home game on Sunday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Read More

Nets Unable to Win Second Overtime Game in as Many Nights

sportsspyder.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 24th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. New Orleans Pelicans Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 104 Pelicans 109

The Brooklyn Nets coming off an overtime victory against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday found themselves in the same situation on Monday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, but this time they were unable to pull off a second straight overtime win in as many days. The loss moves the Net to (37-32) on the season, which is two games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Deron Williams

Coming off a relatively quiet night on Sunday, Deron Williams was very good against the Pelicans on Monday evening. Williams scored 23 points on eight for 17 shooting with eight rebounds and five assists in what was an all around good game. Williams was able to get one steal, which makes it 19 straight games that Williams has got a steal, the longest streak of any player in the NBA.

Positives:

Paul Pierce was the Nets leading scorer on Monday night, as Pierce had 24 points on seven for 16 shooting. Pierce was firing away from three-point range, as he took 11 shots from behind the arc, and hit four of them. In the third quarter he did appear to do something to his right shoulder again, which is the one that has been giving him issues the last few weeks, so that will be something to keep an eye on.

Off the bench for Brooklyn they were able to get some good production from their big men in Mirza Teletovic and Andray Blatche. Teletovic scored nine points on three for seven shooting and Blatche scored 12 points on three for eight shooting with five rebounds.

Negatives:

After a big night for Samuel Dalembert on Sunday night it had to be expected that Anthony Davis would put up a monster game, and he didn’t disappoint. Davis finished with 24 points on nine for 17 shooting to go along with 14 rebounds and three blocks. The size and skill of Davis was just simply too much for the small Nets lineup to handle on Monday.

Davis wasn’t the only one to have a big game against Brooklyn, as Tyreke Evans came out of nowhere with his best game of the season. Evans scored a game-high 33 points on 13 for 19 shooting. Evans did more than just score, as he had 10 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. The only downside to a terrific night from Evans was the fact that he did turn the ball over seven times.

Next up for the Nets will be another road game, as they will be heading to Charlotte to play Al Jefferson and the Bobcats.

Read More

Pierce and Nets Shock the Heat in Miami

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 12, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Miami Heat Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 96 Heat 95

The Brooklyn Nets were able to head down to Miami and beat the Heat for the third time this season despite being heavy underdogs on the road. The victory makes the Nets the only team to beat the Heat three times this season, and is the first win for the franchise in Miami since its New Jersey days in 2008. With the win the Nets are able to stay three games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division with their (33-30) record.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

Nets Forward Paul Pierce was fantastic in the win on Wednesday, as for the most part he carried the Nets, and he especially carried them in the Nets 31-point third quarter with 17 points. Pierce finished with a game-high 29 points on nine for 12 shooting, which included going five for seven from three-point range, and six of seven from the free throw line. It was the first game since February 23rd against the Los Angeles Lakers that Pierce scored more than 20 points, but it was good time for the Nets that he did it on Wednesday against Miami.

Positives:

Brooklyn’s big men off the bench did a very good job helping the Nets earn the victory, as Mirza Teletovic and Andray Blatche both had very nice games. Teletovic led all bench scorers with 17 points on six of 11 shooting with four rebounds and three blocks in just 16 minutes of play. Blatche also scored in double digits, as in 26 minutes he scored 11 points on five for 10 shooting. Everyone on Brooklyn’s bench had a positive +/- compared to just Ray Allen going +1 for Miami.

miamiherald.com

On defense the Nets were able to contain LeBron James quite nicely, as the MVP candidate was held to just 19 points on six for 13 shooting. They also forced LeBron in five turnovers, which helped the Nets hold the Heat to under 100 points keeping their streak alive.

Negatives:

For most of the game two of the Nets main guns in Joe Johnson and Deron Williams struggled to do much of anything. Johnson scored just eight points on two for 10 shooting with a team-high five turnovers, in what was just an all-around bad game for him. Deron Williams also struggled to shoot the ball, as he scored just six points on two for eight shooting, but hit a clutch shot to give the Nets a 96-92 lead with 35 seconds to play in the fourth quarter.

Next up for the Nets will be a few days off before the head the Washington to play against John Wall and the Wizards.

Read More

Nets Shooting Woes Cost Them in Boston

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 7^th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 84 Celtics 91

The Brooklyn Nets were unable to stay above the .500 mark on Friday night, as they were defeated by the Boston Celtics. The loss moves the Nets to (30-30) on the season, and they now trail the Toronto Raptors by four games in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Shooting Guard Joe Johnson was questionable to play on Friday with an illness, but was able to play, and along with Deron Williams was good for Brooklyn. Johnson finished with a game-high 21 points on nine for 21 shooting. He also grabbed seven rebounds, which was a quarter of the Nets total rebounds as the Celtics dominated the glass, holding the Nets to just 28 as a team. It was the third straight good game from Johnson, which is important for the Nets heading into the stretch run.

Positives:

Deron Williams was good once again for Brooklyn, but with most of the team struggling it just wasn’t enough to get past a poor Celtics team. Williams finished with 20 points on seven for 15 shooting, but did have four turnovers with only four assists. Off the bench for Brooklyn the only positive was the play of Andray Blatche, who scored 11 points on three for seven shooting, and was one of the few Nets to have a positive +/-.

scores.go.espn.com

Negatives:

It was the second game back in Boston for Paul Pierce, but although he played better on Friday than he did on his first trip back to Boston, it was still a poor game from him. Pierce finished scoring just 11 points on four for 11 shooting with three rebounds and one assist. In three games now this season against the Celtics, Pierce is averaging just 6.7 points per game, while shooting a dreadful 25% from the field.

Shooting from three-point land was a complete nightmare for the Nets on Friday, which was a large part for their lack of scoring. In the first half the Nets went zero for 17 from deep and for the game they finished hitting just four on 30 attempts. Marcus Thornton had a rough night going zero for six from beyond the arc, and Pierce went zero for four. Even the good games from Williams and Johnson didn’t exclude them from the poor percentage from three-point range, as they combined to shoot three of 15.

Celtics Point Guard Rajon Rondo looked good once again, as he seems to be getting healthy from his knee injury. Rondo came close to a triple-double, as he scored 20 points on six for 14 shooting with nine assists, seven rebounds, and four steals. Rondo even went three for six from three-point range, which is a rare thing from generally a poor jump shooter. The only downside to Rondo's game on Friday was that for the second consecutive game he turned the ball over seven times.

Next up for the Nets will be an off day on Saturday before hosting the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.

Read More

Nets Reach Above .500 After Defeating Grizzlies

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 5th, 2014

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Grizzlies 94 Nets 103

For the first time in the 2013-2014 season, the Brooklyn Nets are now an above .500 team after their victory on Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. The win moves the Nets to (30-29) on the season, and they now sit three games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Brooklyn got a nice game from Joe Johnson, who when he plays well for the Nets they win. In the victory Johnson scored a game-high 21 points on eight for 13 shooting, which included him going five of seven from three-point range. He also added four assists, and had the highest +/- in the game going a monstrous +30. Two straight good games of scoring for Johnson against two very good teams in the Chicago Bulls and Grizzlies both resulted in impressive Nets victories.

Positives:

Nets Point Guard Deron Williams had yet again another good game, as since the All-Star break he looks like the Williams the Nets pay him to be. Williams played 33 minutes, while scoring 16 points on seven for 13 shooting, with seven assists, four steals, and three rebounds. Going against a good Point Guard in Mike Conley, Williams totally dominated the match-up. Conley was held to just two points, while going zero for eight from the field, and he turned it over six times.

With Zach Randolph unable to play due to the flu, the Grizzlies started Ed Davis against Paul Pierce. Pierce however wasted no time making the most of Randolph being out, going at Davis early for eight points before Davis was finally taken out. Pierce finished with 14 points on three for six shooting, as he went a perfect six for six from the free throw line, and he grabbed eight rebounds.

Brooklyn’s bench got has got a nice scoring duo off the bench now with Andray Blatche and Marcus Thornton, who on Wednesday both played very well. Blatche scored 12 points on four for six shooting with four rebounds in just 16 minutes of action. Thornton played a bit more getting 26 minutes of floor time, as he scored 20 points on eight for 13 shooting, including him going four for five from three-point range. Brooklyn as a team had it going from deep, as they shot 57% percent from three-point range as a team.

nytimes.com

Negatives:

After heading into the fourth quarter with a 27-point lead there was a bit of a letdown for Brooklyn, as they allowed a lot of junk time points for the Grizzlies who outscored them 34-16 in the final quarter. It would have been extremely hard to blow the whole lead, but the way the Nets played through the first three quarters, they should have had a double-digit victory.

Next up for the Nets will be in Boston playing against Rajon Rondo and the Celtics, as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett return to their former home.

Read More

Nets Lose by Nearly 50 in Portland

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

February 26th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Portland Trail Blazers Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 80 Trail Blazers 124

The Brooklyn Nets, who were looking to get within one game of the .500 mark with a win on Wednesday night, but were dominated by the Portland Trail Blazers without LaMarcus Aldridge. The loss moves the Nets to (26-29) on the season, and they are now five games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Deron Williams

On a night when the Nets almost lost by 50 points there are basically no positives, but Deron Williams did look healthy yet, as the bounce in his step is defiantly there, and he was looking very good driving to the basket. Williams played 24 minutes, and scored a team-high 12 points on four for 10 shooting to go along with three assists, three steals, and one block.

Negatives:

The Nets bench figured to have a pretty sizeable advantage against the Blazers, but in the blowout loss Brooklyn’s bench was destroyed by Portland’s. Mo Williams led the scoring barrage for the Blazers bench, as he scored a game-high 21 points off the bench, with seven assists, six rebounds, and one steal in 27 minutes. Williams however wasn’t the only 20-point scorer off the bench for Portland, as Will Barton exploded for 20 points on eight for 13 shooting with 11 rebounds and four assists. Barton had the highest +/- in the game going +39. C.J. McCollum added 11 points and Victor Claver added 13, as Portland had four players off the bench finishing in double figures.

nydailynews.com

For the second straight game the Nets main gun off the bench Andray Blatche really struggled. Blatche went one for six from the field, scoring just three points, and in his last two games is shooting just three for 16 from the field. Marcus Thornton picked a bad game to makes his Nets debut, as off the bench he had a poor shooting performance from deep, shooting just one for six from three-point range, and finished shooting four for 11 overall with nine points.

The starting lineup for the Blazers played very well without their best player. Damian Lillard didn’t need to score 30+ points, but he had a nice game none the less, scoring 14 points on six for 11 shooting in 29 minutes. Nicholas Batum was the leading scorer for the Blazers starting five, as he scored 19 points on six for 12 shooting with six rebounds, and six assists in 29 minutes.

Next up for the Nets will be the second half of their back to back in Denver against the Nuggets on Thursday, as they will look to improve on their (3-10) record on the second part of a back to back.

Read More

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs Portland Trail Blazers February 26th, 2014

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

February 26^th, 2014

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs Portland Trail Blazers

The Brooklyn Nets will be continuing their circus road-trip on Wednesday night in Portland against the Trail Blazers. The Nets are now (26-28) on the season, as they are getting close to the .500 mark, but with the Raptors winning seven of their last 10 games, it leaves the Nets 4.5 games behind them in the Atlantic Division.

barclayscenter.com

- Down A Star

On Wednesday night the Trail Blazers will yet again be without their All-Star Power Forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who has missed the last four games with a groin strain. In the four games without Aldridge in this stretch the Blazers are still playing well going 3-1 with their only loss coming against the San Antonio Spurs. The Blazers are obviously missing Aldridge, who has emereged as one of the best if not the best Power Forward in the NBA this season, as he is averaging 23.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, and one block per game.

- Don’t Sleep on Lillard

Aldridge wasn’t the only Blazer to be selected to the All-Star Game however, as with the absence of Aldridge, Damian Lillard has picked up his already good scoring season in the last four games. This season the All-Star Lillard has averaged 21.4 points per game, as last season's Rookie Of The Year has clearly avoided any sort of sophomore slump. In the past four games without his partner in crime Aldridge, Lillard is averaging 30.5 points per game in those games. It will be a great match-up to watch a seemingly healthy Deron Williams against Lillard.

- Second Half Groove

Since the All-Star, like last season Williams seems healthy for the Nets, and has a bounce to his step, which just wasn’t their for the first half of the season. Against the Lakers on Sunday, it was the best game from Williams this season, as he scored a season-high 30 points. Lillard will be a lot more to handle for Williams than anyone the Lakers had to offer, but a healthy Williams is a huge difference maker for Brooklyn as they look to get to within one game of .500

- Bench Advantage

The Blazers bench is the one glaring weakness that the Nets should have a noticeable advantage in, as Brooklyn has one of the better bench units in the league, and it is expected to get better with Marcus Thornton liking making his debut Wednesday after dealing with food poisoning. Andray Blatche struggled against the Lakers, but has been great almost all season, and figures to have a bounce back game against the Blazers. The availability of Shaun Livingston may have an affect on the bench, as if Livingston cant play Jason Kidd maybe starting Andrei Kirilenko again.

Read More